Morning Sickness

Suffering from morning sickness? We can't make it go away, but we can help you cope - and even feel a little better - until it does.

Despite its name, morning sickness can occur at any time, day or night. It usually begins around the 6th week of pregnancy, peaks around week 9, and disappears by weeks 16 to 18. Although unpleasant, morning sickness is considered a normal part of a healthy pregnancy.

If the nausea and vomiting are mild, there's usually no cause for concern. And fortunately, morning sickness usually goes away by the second trimester.

In the meantime, these things may help keep your stomach in check:

Steer clear of certain odors that may trigger your nausea.
Keep crackers or dry toast by your bed to nibble on before getting up.
Eat frequent small meals to keep your stomach from becoming empty.
Drink frequent small amounts of fluids throughout the day so you don't become dehydrated.
Avoid eating foods that are fatty, greasy, spicy, or acidic if you find that they bother you.
Eat whatever foods you can tolerate while your stomach's upset. When you feel better later, concentrate on making your meals more well-rounded.
If your prenatal vitamin seems to worsen your nausea, take it with food instead of on an empty stomach. Or try taking it right before bed. If this does not help, talk to your health care provider about the possibility of switching to a different vitamin.

Studies are being done on various complementary and alternative therapies for morning sickness, such as acupressure with wristbands and treatment with ginger or a vitamin B6 supplement. Speak with your doctor to see what therapies are right for you.

You should also talk to your doctor if your nausea or vomiting is severe, or if you're losing weight from vomiting or becoming deyhydrated. If the need arises, your doctor can prescribe medicine or even decide to treat you with intravenous (IV) fluids.

Reviewed by: Elana Pearl Ben-Joseph, MD

Date reviewed: July 2015

Morning Sickness

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Morning Sickness

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